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Long known for its upscale land tours in Europe and other destinations around the world, New England-based Tauck in recent years has been carving out a position at the top of small-ship ocean cruising, too.

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Long known for its upscale land tours in Europe and other destinations around the world, New England-based Tauck in recent years has been carving out a position at the top of small-ship ocean cruising, too, with combination-land-and-sea trips that visit destinations such as St. Petersburg, Russia. Gene Sloan, USA TODAY

A highlight of the visit to Stockholm, Sweden on Tauck's Baltic cruise is a private evening tour and dinner at the Vasa Museum. The museum preserves a 17th century Swedish war ship that sank in Stockholm's harbor. Tauck

The Peter and Paul Cathedral is within St. Petersburg's Peter and Paul Fortress, which encloses a number of other buildings. Among them is one that formerly housed a prison where revolutionaries were kept during the era of the tsars. Gene Sloan, USA TODAY

Nearly all the meals on and off the ship during Tauck's 'St. Petersburg & the Baltic Sea' cruise tour are included in the fare. Here, a lunch for Tauck guests held at a local restaurant during a St. Petersburg area tour. Tauck

Among the allures of visiting St. Petersburg, Russia with Tauck is early access to the Hermitage, the city's famed art museum. Tauck has arranged for its tourgoers to enter the museum 90 minutes ahead of the general public. Tauck

Another attraction on the schedule during Tauck's visit to St. Petersburg, Russia is the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood. It was built over the site where Russian Tsar Alexander II was murdered in 1881. Gene Sloan, USA TODAY

The visit to Tallinn, Estonia includes a stop at the city's Song Festival Grounds, which played an integral role in Estonia's 'Singing Revolution' in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Gene Sloan, USA TODAY

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia – An elegant reception is underway as Gail Pipal, 61, of Arroyo Grande, California, arrives at a gilded hall within Yusupov Palace.

The retired architect and her companions on Tauck's St. Petersburg and the Baltic Sea cruise already have explored the famed St. Petersburg attraction's outrageously ornate public rooms on a private after-hours tour. They also got a peek at its crypt-like basement, which notably was the scene of the 1916 assassination of Russian mystic Grigori Rasputin. Now they'll kick back with a glass of champagne while awaiting a private ballet performance in the palace's stunning, gold- and fresco-lined home theater.

For this one evening, at least, the normally crowded site is their own private playground.

"This is amazing," says Pipal, taking in soaring spaces once gazed upon by Russian czars. "This sort of exclusivity is why we chose Tauck."

Long known for its upscale land tours in Europe and other destinations around the world, New England-based Tauck in recent years has been carving out a position at the top of small-ship ocean cruising, too, with combination-land-and-sea trips that are more intimate, exclusive and all-inclusive than those offered by most other companies.

In addition to private events such as the evening at Yusupov Palace, Tauck cruise tours are chock full of highly choreographed excursions that often include special access to sites and unexpected touches.

Tauck passengers attend a private reception at the Yusupov Palace in St. Petersburg.(Photo: Tauck)

Kicking off with a two-night hotel stay in Stockholm, the 11-night Baltic trip includes a private, behind-the-scenes tour of the city's majestic Royal Swedish Opera House led by an opera singer. In St. Petersburg, Tauck guides take passengers into the famed Hermitage Museum a full 90 minutes before regular visitors are allowed to enter. The visit includes a private display of the museum's exquisite Peacock Clock in operation – something few people ever get to see.

"They're always doing things like that," says Skip Mixson, 74, a retiree from Lakemont, Georgia, who is on his ninth Tauck trip.

Pausing to talk near the Hermitage's ground-floor cafe, Mixson and his wife, Betsy, 71, bring up another hallmark of Tauck tours: the fact the company arranges every detail of the experience from the moment you land until you depart – something that is rare at even the highest-end cruise lines. Private transfers from the airport, pre-cruise hotels, post-cruise hotels, guided tours and almost all meals on and off the ship –it's all part of the package.

As Betsy puts it, "They greet you at the airport, and then you don't have to worry about a thing."

Among the allures of visiting St. Petersburg, Russia with Tauck is early access to the Hermitage, the city's famed art museum. Tauck has arranged for its tourgoers to enter the museum 90 minutes ahead of the general public.(Photo: Tauck)

Among the unusual aspects of a Tauck cruise tour is the presence of several full-time tour directors who serve as always-present guides, problem solvers, organizers and traveling companions.

Like other cruise operators, Tauck contracts with local guides to lead tours during most port stops. But the tour directors also accompany passengers on outings, backing up the local guides and assuring a seamless experience.

During a walking tour of the historic old town of Tallinn, Estonia (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), one of the directors interrupts the local guide to offer everyone a taste of locally roasted almonds, which he had just bought from a local stall. After a morning tour of Copenhagen, Denmark, the same director offers to pay admission to the National Museum for any tourgoers who want to visit it during afternoon free time. He also offers to walk them there.

As is the case with most of Tauck's small-ship cruise tours, the cruise portion of its Baltic trips takes place on a vessel operated by Ponant, an upscale French line. Tauck doesn't own its own cruise ships but instead fully or partially charters vessels for departures from Ponant (or in a few cases, Silversea and Windstar). On this sailing, the cruise portion of the trip is on Ponant's Le Soleal, a relatively new, stylish vessel that holds up to 265 passengers.

Far smaller than most cruise ships at 10,700 gross tons, Le Soleal was designed to offer a high-end, yacht-like experience while sailing to some of the world's most far-flung destinations including Antarctica. Nick Rains

Deck 7 also is home to Le Soleal's 12 motorized Zodiac rafts, which are used for exploration and passenger landings on some itineraries. Ponant is known for itineraries to off-the-beaten-path destinations with little infrastructure such as the Arctic and Antarctica, where such landing craft come in handy. Gene Sloan, USA TODAY

While Le Soleal doesn't have a traditional wrap-around promenade for strolling, it offers small promenade-like viewing areas just outside its main lobby. The spaces double as entryways for passengers when the ship is docked. Gene Sloan, USA TODAY

A nook at one end of the Panorama Lounge serves as a combination library and game room for the ship. It offers two card tables that often are the site of lively card games during voyages. Gene Sloan, USA TODAY

A theater on Deck 4 of Le Soleal is used for lectures as well as evening entertainment. Le Soleal carries nearly a dozen performers, including five dancers and two piano players -- a large number for a ship of its size. Morgan Sloan

In partnership with Ponant, Tauck is in the midst of a major expansion of its small-ship cruise offerings. The company is increasing its capacity in the niche by 40% for 2019 and adding five new itineraries. More expansion is planned the following year with capacity ultimately doubling over several years.

A key differentiator for Tauck is its all-inclusiveness. Every excursion and special event on Tauck trips is included in the fare. Tauck also includes unlimited complimentary beverages including wine, beer and even name-brand spirits in its fares – a relative rarity in the cruise world. In addition, gratuities and airport transfers also are included. So much is included, in fact, that the line doesn't even bother to swipe credit cards when passengers arrive. Many leave without a bill.

All of the extra perks and all-inclusiveness come at a price. Fares for Tauck's Baltic trips start around $750 per person, per day — notably higher than the Baltic itineraries offered by many of its competitors. Similar 11-day trips from Viking Cruises start at around $400 per day, while Princess Cruises offers 11-day Baltic sailings starting for as little as $144 per day.

Still, few passengers are complaining.

"It's on the expensive side. But you get what you pay for," says Alan Readinger, 80, an estate lawyer from Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, who is on his first Tauck trip along with his wife.

Speaking during a visit to the historic Danish town of Roskilde, on the final day of the itinerary, Readinger says he's already thinking about where he might go next with the company.

"They just have everything so well planned out and organized," he says. "It's going to be a good family discussion on which Tauck trip we do next."

If you go ...

Tauck's 11-night St. Petersburg and the Baltic Sea tour combines seven nights of sailing the Baltic on a small cruise ship with two-night hotel stays in Stockholm and Copenhagen, Denmark. Offered in June and July, the itinerary starts at $8,990 per person, based on double occupancy, including almost all meals; tours; airport transfers; unlimited on-board drinks while cruising including wine, beer and spirits; port charges and gratuities.

For 2018, Tauck also is offering eight other ocean cruise-related itineraries in Europe as well as several small-ship cruise tours in the Americas, Asia and Antarctica. Tauck is adding five additional ocean cruise itineraries in 2019 including 19-night trips to Australia and New Zealand; 11-night trips around the Great Lakes; and nine-night trips to Spitsbergen, Norway, in the Arctic.

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Luxury line Regent Seven Seas Cruises in 2016 debuted what is widely regarded as the most spectacular suite ever built on a cruise ship: The Regent Suite on the new Seven Seas Explorer. Spanning the entire front of one of the ship's top decks, it measures 4,443 square feet -- more than 50% larger than the average home in the United States. Regent Seven Seas Cruises

The Regent Suite is priced at $10,000 per day, making it one of the most expensive accommodations on a cruise. The fare includes a wide range of perks including First or Business class airfare to and from the ship as well as private sedan transfers to and from airports. Gene Sloan, USA TODAY

The over-the-top luxury of the Regent Suite is on full display in the master bedroom, which features a king size bed topped with a Savoir No. 1 mattress that cost $90,000. The mattress is filled with a special kind of horse hair. Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Overlooking the front of Seabourn Encore on Deck 7, the Signature Suites measure 1,159 square feet, not including balcony space, and offer a large living room, two bedrooms and two full baths. Seabourn Cruise Line

It isn't just the newest ships that offer spectacular suites. Cunard Line's classic Queen Mary 2, which debuted in 2004, continues to offer some of the most eye-popping accommodations at sea with its two-deck-high Duplexes. Cunard Line

Dubbed Balmoral and Sandringham, the Queen Mary 2's two Grand Duplex suites measure 2,249 square feet. Each has a spacious living room and dining area on the ground floor and a large master bedroom on the second floor. Greywolf Studios Limited

Each of Queen Mary 2's Grand Duplexes can be combined with four other adjacent suites to create a giant complex measuring more than 9,000 square feet -- several times larger than the typical U.S. home. Greywolf Studios Limited

Sleeping up to six, the Royal Loft Suite offers a panoramic view over the back of the ship from a two-deck-high living and dining room level. The space has a dry bar and sofa that converts into a double bed. Gene Sloan, USA TODAY

One of the most-discussed new suites of recent years has been the Reflection Suite on Celebrity Cruises' Celebrity Reflection, the fifth and final ship in the line's Solstice Class series. The ship debuted in 2012. Celebrity Cruises

Bedrooms in the Owner's Suites on Marina and Riviera feature mahogany Bel Air beds upholstered in steel-blue mohair and walls covered in Austyn cashmere. All of the rooms in the suites were decorated using Ralph Lauren furnishings by designer Susan Bednar Long. Oceania Cruises

While generally catering to the mass market, Norwegian Cruise Line also offers some of the most spectacular -- and pricey -- suites at sea, including four large Deluxe Owner's Suites on its recently unveiled Norwegian Escape. Danny Lehman

Located near the top of the Disney Fantasy on Deck 12, the Roy O. Disney Suite looks out over the vessel's bow. It's one of two signature Royal Suites on the ship. Matt Stroshane, Matt Stroshane, photographer

The Roy O. Disney Suite has two bathrooms designed with granite and marble finishes. The master bathroom features a whirlpool bathtub, a rain shower, double sinks and a television built seamlessly into the mirror. Matt Stroshane, Matt Stroshane, photographer

An owner's suite in more than just name, the Viking Star's Owner's Suite was designed as a personal retreat for Viking founder and chairman Torstein Hagen and features many of his personal items, including books from his collection and family portraits on bookshelves. Gene Sloan, USA TODAY